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[cmisip]

My garage door opener is a wayne dalton 3214 and I see a label above the contact points for the switch : PB, COM, OBS which states class2 30 Volts.  Will the universal module work with this as it is rated at 24 V only.  I assume, I need to wire PB and COM to the contact points of the universal module.  I think OBS and  COM are for sensing any obstruction under the garage door.  Is this  DC voltage on these contact points.

Thanks
Chris

[Brian H]

Maybe my users guide is old but it says 30 Volts AC or 42 Volts DC. I believe this is a safety thing as the terminals are exposed. You sound like the voltag in question is in the range specified.
I found and downloaded the manual for the 3214 and I would say COM and PB are the ones you want to use. It also seems to indicated that for the down cycle the PB has to be held. So in theory your door may open with a pulse from the UM506 but not go back down all the way. OBS and COM are for the obstruction sensor as you thought.

Are you sure you want to use X10 for a garage door opener control? X10 is never 100% reliable all the time. Also if you use any RF transceivers it would not be excessively hard to get a hand held remote and go through all 256 codes. I believe someone here used a combination of two X10 modules so both had to be accessed before anything would happen.

[dave w]

I use Universal Module on my door and it works fine. The current is very low, so even at 30V the module will have no problem. Brian brings up a good point. I prevent the Universal Module from ever opening the garage door by putting a magnetic window switch in series with the opener and Universal Module. The window switch is closed ONLY when the garage door is up. So X10 can only close the door, never open it.

[cmisip]

Thanks for the replies guys. 

I am thinking of using the UM506 which is rated a 5 amps at 24v DC.  Brian H, were you perhaps referring to another type of module?  The UM506 is the only module I could find online.

I am thinking of using the UM506 in combination with an appliance module if this is possible.  Appliance module turns on the power for the UM506 and the UM506 then turns on the power for the garage door opener.  I think this should give me 256 x256 possible combinations.  I am planning on controlling everything with heyu which I currently have working for some appliances and lights.  Also looking into installing some kind of feedback device to let me know if the garage is open or closed.

Thanks
Chris

[steven r]

...Brian brings up a good point. I prevent the Universal Module from ever opening the garage door by putting a magnetic window switch in series with the opener and Universal Module. The window switch is closed ONLY when the garage door is up. So X10 can only close the door, never open it.

I use this approach also. In addition to not wanting to trade in the security of a rotating code that is chosen from 1000s for the one of the 256 that X10 can offer, it becomes tricky to make sure the signal you're sending isn't closing instead of opening and visa-versa.
Knowing that my X10 garage signal will only work to close the door allows me to design shutdown macros to close the garage.

[Brian H]

I was looking at the users sheet downloaded from X10. The UM506 can be set to continuous on and off by command or a 1 second pulse On when an on signal is received.
The contacts a plenty heavy. I believe the Class 2 thing involves the maximum safe voltage for exposed terminals. I have seen some use it for 120 VAC and insulate the terminals so  they can't be touched. Not that I would ever endorse such a thing.

[dave w]

1. I am thinking of using the UM506 in combination with an appliance module if this is possible.  Appliance module turns on the power for the UM506 and the UM506 then turns on the power for the garage door opener.  I think this should give me 256 x256 possible combinations. 

2. Also looking into installing some kind of feedback device to let me know if the garage is open or closed.

Thanks
Chris

1. Yes, If you are intent on using the Universal Module to close and OPEN your garage door, you should use this technique. The Appliance Module supplies power to the Universal Module.

2. Use PowerFlash module for that. ( http://www.x10.com/security/x10_pf284.htm ) and hook it to the same magnetic window switch.

[cmisip]

I use an activehome with serial port connection hooked up to a linux computer and heyu program to control it and send commands by wire.  It seems that heyu engine is able to monitor the state of appliances and lights by keeping track of commands it executes and monitoring the power line for any x10 commands sent by the wireless transceivers.  Hopefully this would be reliable enough for me to determine the state of the garage door (open or close). 

Thanks
Chris

[Brian H]

Sounds like a good plan. Keep us informed as to how it is going.